Free Federal Wireless Broadband For All Americans? Fuggedaboutit!
The United States government is not going to be providing free WiFi Internet access to consumers anytime soon. That news may surprise anyone who read a startling Washington Post story on Sunday that seemed to confuse a fairly esoteric telecom policy proposal about the use of so-called “white space” wireless spectrum with some sort of free national wireless Internet access plan. The “free WiFi for all” story, which was passed around uncritically by Internet blogs and news sites, set off a furor because the notion cuts to the heart of ongoing battles over access to the Internet, the “digital divide,” and federal policy decisions that could have major implications for the telecom, cable, and technology industries. But the story was wrong, as Ars Technica pointed out. On Tuesday, outlets that repeated the bunk story began walking their reports back, in some cases apologizing for giving bad information to the public. The episode, which provoked a strong pushback from tech ...
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Google CEO Meets with Feds as U.S. Senator Blasts FTC Over Antitrust Probe
With the clock ticking down until a crucial Federal Trade Commission vote over whether to sue Google for antitrust violations, the search giant’s CEO Larry Page met with federal officials in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday. The meeting, which was first reported by Bloomberg, came one day after a powerful U.S. Senator sent a letter to the FTC expressing concern about the way the agency has been conducting its investigation. The FTC is wrapping up a nearly two-year investigation into whether Google has used its search market power to unfairly harm rival companies. Google and the FTC have been conducting negotiations for several weeks to see if a settlement is possible. If no deal is reached, the FTC will proceed in the coming days with a vote that will determine whether the commission files a lawsuit. If the FTC votes to sue Google, it would be the most dramatic antitrust action taken by the U.S. government against a major technology company since the Department of Justice sued Microsoft in ...
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Sue or Settle? Feds Face Crunch Time Over Google Antitrust Decision
The Federal Trade Commission is nearing a critical decision on the next step of its nearly two-year investigation into whether Internet search titan Google has used its market power to harm rivals. The FTC could file a lawsuit against Google, or the commission could reach a settlement with the tech giant. The decision about whether to sue or settle will likely help define FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz’s legacy at an agency where he has served for more than eight years, including the last three as chairman. Leibowitz is expected to soon leave the FTC and enter the private sector. Last month, Reuters reported that four of the five FTC commissioners had concluded that Google has used its search market dominance to harm its rivals. Agency investigators circulated a draft memo recommending legal action against Google. Last week, Bloomberg reported that the FTC has delivered “an ultimatum” to Google demanding that the search giant offer a plan to settle the investigation, or face a lawsuit. If ...
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FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski Stepping Down After Contentious Term
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski will announce on Friday that he is stepping down, according to multiple reports. Genachowski, who became chairman in 2009, has presided over an agency that has grappled with contentious issues like U.S. broadband policy, cable and telecom industry competition, and media consolidation. In seeking to strike a centrist balance, Genachowski managed to alienate both public interest groups that have pushed for a more activist FCC on issues like media ownership and Internet openness, as well as industry giants, particularly AT&T, which had proposed buying T-Mobile before the FCC objected. Verizon Wireless is currently suing the FCC in federal court over the agency’s “network neutrality” rules.In seeking to strike a centrist balance, Genachowski managed to alienate both public interest groups that have pushed for a more activist FCC on issues like media ownership and Internet openness, as well as industry giants, particularly ...
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FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski Stepping Down After Contentious Term: Reports
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski will announce on Friday that he is stepping down, according to multiple reports. Genachowski, who became chairman in 2009, has presided over an agency that has grappled with contentious issues like U.S. broadband policy, cable and telecom industry competition, and media consolidation. In seeking to strike a centrist balance, Genachowski managed to displease both public interest groups that have pushed for a more activist FCC on issues like media ownership and Internet openness, as well as industry giants, particularly AT&T, which had proposed buying T-Mobile before the FCC objected. Genachowski’s announcement, which was expected, comes just days after another FCC commissioner, Robert McDowell, announced his plan to leave the agency. Their departures create two vacancies on the commission, which will be filled by candidates nominated by President Obama. The job of FCC chairman is particularly important, because the position ...
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